Happy Monday!
I was just reading through the new comments on yesterday’s ‘life question’– what a great way to start the week. I am constantly inspired by the journey that you share with me on the blog!
I also appreciated that some of you voiced your honest opinion of the book. Some of you said that you couldn’t get through the book and you didn’t like how the tone/message changed after Italy. I got about 1/3 of the way through the India book last night and I did notice a shift. The tone got more serious and Elizabeth really delved into meditation, yoga and the history behind it. While I did find a couple parts have been slow in India, I found the part about where she struggles with meditation absolutely captivating as I have struggled with meditation and quieting my mind for a long time. I found that I was taking a few notes for myself and I hope to re-visit meditation in my own life (I will blog about it!). It will be interesting to see how my opinion of the book changes as I read through India and Bali. I hope I will enjoy it!
I told you last night that I would be sharing with you this fun raw cookie recipe that I made yesterday! They are so yummy, I hope you will enjoy them as well.
Raw Energy Cookie Bites
Inspired by That’s Fit.ca’s Raw Seed Cookies.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of almonds
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 9 medjool dates, pitted
- 4-5 dried apricots, chopped
- 2 tbsp cacao nibs
- 1/2 tbsp pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds)
- Pinch or two of sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions: Place pitted dates and almonds into a food processor and process until the mixture is ground up. You can leave a few larger pieces if you prefer. Remove mixture from the processor and place into a medium sized bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with your hands. Form into mini cookies or balls. Makes 8 mini cookies.
Nutritional information (per mini cookie): 136 calories, 4 grams fibre, 5 grams fat, 2 grams protein.
I am in love with these mini energy cookies! So delicious and packed with so many healthy foods.
You can also double the recipe and pop them in the freezer for quick snacks!
Here is another quote that I loved from Eat Pray Love, page 115. Elizabeth is talking about pleasure and how our society typically feels guilty for pursuing pleasure in our lives. In this quote she speaks to a ‘glimmer of happiness’ that she started to feel after being in a deep depression for a couple years. She was on the path to ‘mending her soul’.
“It was in a bathtub back in New York, reading Italian words aloud from a dictionary, that I first started mending my soul. My life had gone to bits and I was so unrecognizable to myself that I probably couldn’t have picked me out from a police line-up. But I felt a glimmer of happiness when I started studying Italian, and when you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after such dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt– this is not selfishness, but obligation. You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight.
I came to Italy pinched and thin. I did not know yet what I deserved. I still maybe don’t know fully what I deserve. But I do know that I have collected myself of late- through the enjoyment of harmless pleasures- into somebody more intact. The easiest, most fundamentally human way to say it is that I have put on weight. I exist more now than I did four months ago. I will leave Italy noticeably bigger than when I arrived here. And I will leave with the hope and the expansion of one person- the magnification of one life- is indeed an act of worth in this world. Even if that life, just this one time, happens to be nobody’s but my own.”
I thought that was one of the more powerful quotes in the book so far. I absolutely loved this quote ‘you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt’ it gave me such a great visual and helped me understand her sentiment. I also agree that sometimes happiness comes from the little things in life. I think many of us get overwhelmed by assuming that we need to do all of these huge and crazy changes to be happy, but sometimes happiness comes from a small decision to just pursue something that you enjoy- even if it has no practical purpose.
For me, my glimmer of happiness was starting Oh She Glows. On October 31, 2008, I started Oh She Glows. It was one of the most difficult times of my life and I was struggling with my career and graduate school. I was depressed and I cried in bed so many nights. The blog was my glimmer of hope each day- a distraction from the unhappiness that I felt with my career choice. It was something so simple as writing a few words each day and hoping for that connection with others to help guide me though.
Little did I know that something as simple as writing a blog would have been the thing that gave me the courage, confidence, and desire to seek out happiness, not just for a few moments every day, but for my entire day. Sometimes, these little glimmers of happiness can be the seeds for amazing change and transformation in our lives.
I also loved her analogy about ‘putting on weight’. When Elizabeth went through her divorce she lost about 25-30 pounds and was skeletal. Putting on weight was not just a representation that she was getting healthier, but it was a metaphor for the growth that was happening on the inside of her as well. I thought it was so interesting because so many women denote weight gain with a negative emotion or loss of control, but sometimes weight gain represents a time in your life when you are enjoying the pleasures of life and just…happy.
I appreciate hearing your own thoughts on this quote…Do you have any ‘glimmers of hope’ in your life right now? Have you ever experienced any small pleasurable activity that got you though a difficult time, like the blog did for me? Are there things in your life that you could do to create these small bits of happiness in your day?
I get them all the time!
My glimmer of hope often comes from the love from my family and friends especially my mother. Through the ups and the downs, my mother (as the rest of my family and friends) have provided wisdom and hope that the tough times are only temporary. My mother is a firm believer in tough love too which forces me to face the truth even when I want to hide behind my fears and negativity. Without those people in my life, I honestly do not know where I’d find those glimmers of hope. Hopefully one day I can find a glimmer of hope within me :)
I feel the same way about my blog. I started it at a time when everything seemed to be changing around me. My blog provided a constant and a way for me to interpret and analyze all that was going on around me. 7 months later, as I am about to embark on my last semester of college, I realize how much my little website means to me. I have taken a leap of faith with it by purchasing my domain and trying to get serious with it. I have no idea what is going to come after December, but I do know I will be there to blog about it. :)
I talked about it in my most recent blog post on Friday (http://beyoutifullyamusing.com/2010/07/quench-that-thirst.html) – how satisfying your soul doesn’t have to take an enormous amount of time. I also believe in Hemingway’s quote, “Never mistake motion for action.” There’s a difference between being busy and going round and round in circles, and actually taking action steps that move you in the direction of your dreams, even if that dream is simply happiness. Taking those steps is what gives me hope (and it gives me a lot of it too!). It gives me courage and strength and faith in myself. Knowing that I’m actually “going somewhere” and not just on a merry-go-round of responsibility and monotony for the rest of my life. Giving myself permission to live my life the way I feel guided to is something I’m still working on but that has made such a huge difference for me so far. Sometimes, I can’t believe I ever wanted to “call it quits” on life (I woudn’t have, but I really wanted to!). Life is just too wonderful… and, of course, it’s always what you make of it, cliché as that sounds.
Wow this is soooo true!
” I also believe in Hemingway’s quote, “Never mistake motion for action.” There’s a difference between being busy and going round and round in circles, and actually taking action steps that move you in the direction of your dreams, even if that dream is simply happiness.”
I would say blogging has been a glimmer of hope for me too. It originally started as something adult to do besides my regular day to day interactions as a stay at home mom. Now it is leading to passions that I didn’t even know I had.
In addition to the glimmers of happiness I posted earlier, I would like to add the GINORMOUS salad that I am currently eating as yet another glimmer of happiness. ;)
hahaha yesssss
I’ve struggled with bad depression almost my whole life. A few years ago, it seemed like I lost everything: my grandparents, my job, my apartment, my husband, and even my sense of freedom.
I retreated deep within myself, cried every day for years, and seriously wondered if there was even a point to going on. Stuck in a horrible cycle of wanting to eat to drown the pain, and not feeling good enough/too fat to eat, I once again made friends with bulimia (which I haven’t done now for probably 3-4 months).
I’m really not sure what happened, but at the beginning of this year things started looking up for me, if only slightly. Even though bad things still happen often, and I feel like I wish I could sink back into the half-life of my depression, I’ve managed to stay afloat.
One thing that really helps me has been hoopdance and hooping. It sounds strange and almost silly, but it really helps me to focus and center myself and feel good about myself at the same time. Never before have I been able to just live in the moment, but hooping does just that for me. I’m not sure I’ll ever go a day without thinking or feeling my depression at least a little bit, but knowing I can and will enjoy a moment of peace if I just pick up my hoop is enough to keep going.
After nearly 6 years of having no desire to do anything, I’ve finally found passion in certain things (hooping!) and actually have hobbies now. I actually want to live and do things, and now have a list of things I want to get into: belly dancing, yoga, etc. Just thinking of these things makes me want to keep going.
So happy to hear this, thanks for sharing!
Honestly, blogging has become a huge glimmer of hope for me. I’m currently doing AmeriCorps service in a rather rough city, and constantly dealing with the crime and violence can really get me down. So it’s been wonderful to have this escape to air out my feelings and write about something I truly love: delicious food and healthy living. The blog has definitely helped me out on days when I’ve felt a little blue.
During the past five years, I have gone through times of hardship and have had low points. I knew things were not right because the little things that usually made me happy, just weren’t doing it for me. I tried everything that usually made my soul float: singing, nature walks, friend hang outs…When none of these things did it, I created my Happiness Book. I created a journal in which I wrote down absolutely anything and everything that made me smile/happy. Even if it was something silly, I wrote it down. Eventually, I started to recognize the little things in life again. Now, when feeling down, I read it for the best mood lifter. :)
I read Eat Pray Love this past year while I was traveling throughout India- it’s such an amazing and inspiring book. I creased the pages that I felt inspired by and there were so many! I love when she says in there that some people are totally content where they are and others have this itch to learn more and travel. I can totally relate to that! I have this strong desire to see what’s out there and to learn everything I can. She’s such an inspiration and I cant’ wait to see the movie!
Speaking of inspirations- you are mine also. I started blogging about a year ago when I started reading your blog. I dont’ remember how I found it but I could completely relate to your experience and I wanted to help and inspire people just like you did.
Thank You Angela- you’re and angel : )
Thank you that is so kind of you to say that! I love that quote too. I def. have the itch to travel and see the world.
I love this post! I definitely can relate to many parts of what you wrote. First, my glimmer of hope last summer after being laid off was starting my blog. It gave me a project and a way to connect and contribute to people which was something I really missed about being employed. Now, it’s a fun project where I get to be creative and share a passion that I have. I also found the quote about weight interesting. Something I heard long ago was a quote that went to the effect of saying “why do women concede power over their bodies and let society dictate how much space they take up in the world.” It’s a strong statement but always pops up into my mind. I get to decide how large my presence is in the world, physically and abstractly, and it’s not for others to decide. Happiness contributes to feeling confident to own this for me.
Another wonderful and inspiring post Angela :-)
Glimmers of hope can be anything, for me it’s my boyfriend’s love, yoga, and I have to say the wonderful blogging community around the world.
As I am shifting my priorities and learning to define what I want and listen to myself, these glimmers of hope are my inspiration to keep going. I’ve learned so far that I don’t want to adapt and adjust to a “normal” life, it just doesn’t work for me. I know that at some point I will let go of my fear of the unknown, and jut take a leap of faith. I’m not in the place I want to be right now, but I’m working towards it, and the yoga teacher training I will be starting in September is the next step :-)
I am all over those raw cookies. YUM.
I really like that passage from Eat, Pray, Love. I think we often feel that prioritizing personal happiness is selfish, but I agree with the perspective that it is our obligation to find beauty in the world and be happy.
I loved Eat, Pray and Love and am currently reading the sequel Committed. One thing I have learned in life is you really do have to balance the practical while ensuring you are living your dreams and are happy. Life is so unpredictable. My father passed away at the age of 54 and that was a life lesson for me. It’s great to read inspiring books and to take what you can from it. I can’t say I am doing everything I want to do because of practical reasons but I can say that I always try to maintain a balance. I work for a non-profit organization for developing countries and this also keeps me mindful of all the opportunities available to me and all that I am grateful for!!
I THOROUGHLY enjoyed that book. I mean, it gave me inspiration and hope and even a little culture. I was sad when the book ended. I even read it again, just to keep the uplifting feelings with me. I can’t wait to see the movie. I love how well you put the weight issue into perspective with her gaining back a glow- a life of her own. :)
Those cookies, well, they look amazing and they just may be made tonight! ;) Thanks so much for the recipe!
Continuing from my story I shared with you yesterday… I do have glimmers of hope in my life right now, so I am glad you brought that up today! One of them is (again, very similar to yours) starting my blog. I have received a great response from friends and family and friends of friends and family. I had business cards made with my websites, and I decided to start offering some small services on the side that do not require a certification (http://betterfly.com/healthandhappiness). I also just help others get motivated to make the healthy change or give them menu ideas just for fun.
This is definitely my way of fulfilling my dream career for now. The response and encouragement that I have received is my glimmer of hope that one day I can be happy and successful following my dream career. Your story is also very inspirational to me since it seems so similar. I always enjoy reading your encouraging and inspiring thoughts.
First of all, those cookies look delic! I’ll have to try them soon!
I love how blogging has been a glimmer of hope for so many people! I’m hoping it will do the same for me. I’ve had a lot of stress with joining the working world after graduation, not enjoying my work, adjusting to the fiance’s military lifestyle and I’m hoping my blog can start turning around my self image and hopefully bring a glimmer of hope into my life :) I love reading your blog every day. It always brings a smile to my face!
My blog came about as well at a time when I think I needed it the most; I was on the tail end of a relapse. Half of me wanted to commit 100% to becoming a healthy, happy woman and the other half was deathly scared to let go of two years worth of coping mechanisms – I was afraid to find out who I was beyond my eating disorder. I think it really helped me make the decision to kick all the insecurity and the disorder out of my life and embrace a balanced lifestyle. I’ve grown so much over these six months and I feel like I’ve done a complete 180 with my outlook and attitudes – I can’t wait to see where the blog sees me through next!
I’ve been going through one of the hardest times of my life lately – the end of a five year relationship (not my choice, either), a long illness, and career struggles. But for the past several weeks this is exactly what I’ve been focusing on – trying to find the glimmers of happiness in my own life. Like Elizabeth Gilbert, I get happiness from studying foreign languages. It’s fun and challenging and it can really suck you in. I also get joy out of blogging and I have definitely been putting more time and thought into my posts in the last few weeks. Another joy is just learning – I got gift subscriptions to Wired and Fast Company magazines, and I love learning and reading about topics that I wouldn’t normally look into.
Angela,
I’ve read your blog for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve ever commented. I’ve started making healthy changes to my life from reading your blog. I started adding spinach to my morning smoothies months ago and I made my first batch of Kale Chips yesterday (which may or may not have lead to three batches in one day…).
I have to say that your recent posts have sparked something inside of me. I have definitely been emotional the past few days. I feel like I’m still trying to find my spark. I know I haven’t been happy with my career or certain aspects of my life for a while now, but I dont even know where to begin. I have been on this one path for so long, I honestly feel like nothing sparks my interests or passion anymore. Reading your blog and knowing about your struggles (and success!) definitely gives me some hope that maybe one day I’ll also be able to break out and find my way.
Thank you for sharing your story and being an inspiration
Hi Stacey, Thank you for your comment. It really touches me that you have found inspiration through my writing. I wish you only happiness and success in your future plans, whatever you may decide. Just let your heart speak and make sure to listen!